Fucking biden, always screwing over the drug dealers https://t.co/8sbbSjRrLp
— Dr. Bucky Isotope, IQ 188 (@BuckyIsotope) July 19, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday, July 31, 2021
Raising the bar on stupid: no wonder Arizona is turning blue
Jesus never had sex, either--maybe you can join him in that, too, so you ignorant fuckers can't breed anymore?
I got vaccinated and, uh... guess who's never been nailed to a cross. pic.twitter.com/aNOjaX2Ufs
— Ian Fortey's 2nd Book is Coming Soon (@IanFortey) July 23, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee...
Patrick Henry for dumbasses
Republicans refusing to get vaccinated is next-level love of freedom: "Give me liberty AND give me death."
— Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) July 18, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, July 30, 2021
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCCXLIII--Danny O'Keefe: Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
Regular readers (both of you) will remember that when I was a newbie in the music industry my store used to get loads of promotional singles from CBS Records and its subsidiaries, which my first wife and I would listen to for a fun evening in the days when we were dirt poor. This week's tune was on one of those promos, though it was actually a cover version of it by the late, great Leon Russell--which he took to #63 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles Chart, and also caused me to seek out the original version which is this week's featured song.
Danny O'Keefe was born in Spokane, Washington in 1943, and began his career with a band called Calliope in the late 60's before embarking on a solo career. Over the course of the last fifty some odd years, O'Keefe has had enough success to keep making music, and has had a number of his songs recorded by artists such as Jackson Browne, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Buffett. For his career he has released fifteen studio albums, with the latest having been released in 2017.
"Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" was released as a single in 1972, on his album simply entitled O'Keefe. The single reached #9 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked at #87 on the Billboard 200.
Fun Fact: "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" has been covered by more than twenty artists...which goes a long way toward explaining how O'Keefe has made a living playing music for over fifty years.
Though O'Keefe had some success with his songwriting, "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" was the only one that was a hit--and it isn't hard to see why. O'Keefe weaves the tale of a man looking into the mirror and seeing his own mortality--while he's watching his friends leave town and settle down, he knows that he should but doesn't know if he can. O'Keefe's heartfelt vocals capture perfectly a man at a crossroads, and he's ably backed by a sparse musical accompaniment featuring a sweetly yearning slide guitar and a melancholy harmonica, both kept in rhythm by some rapturous bongos (second time in three weeks!). O'Keefe (as noted above, a native of Washington state) also wonderfully juxtaposes the protagonist stuck pondering his uncertain future as the rain falls in the Evergreen State, while everyone else is headed for the joyous sunshine of L.A. And it all concludes with about thirty seconds of "looking in the rear view mirror" whistling (always an emaycee fave). Overall, it's a fine piece of country folk--and another in a long line of instances where an artist managed to make three minutes of magic that lasted a lifetime for the rest of us.
Lyric Sheet: "I got my pills to ease the pain/Can't find a thing to ease the rain/I'd love to try and settle down/But everybody's leavin' town..."
Enjoy:
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
You can't cure stupid
https://t.co/OJEdPZgKd7 pic.twitter.com/6UtvoxKONo
— 𝚋𝚊𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚗 (@TheBaxterBean) July 19, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
The truth will find you in the end
no platform has done more to accidentally destroy the meritocracy myth than twitter. every day this country’s richest and most powerful people logging on to say the dumbest thing you've ever heard
— Being nice, feeling nice (@InternetHippo) July 21, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, July 29, 2021
I guess that's why we call them assholes, too
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Traitor's gonna traitor
Rep. Liz Cheney on Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s move to pull members off the Jan. 6 committee and launch a separate investigation:
— Axios (@axios) July 21, 2021
"The idea that anybody would be playing politics with an attack on the United States Capitol is despicable and disgraceful.”https://t.co/I2qeDgF44o
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
The cowardly sycophant
As McCarthy cries foul, remember:
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) July 22, 2021
Democrats negotiated an independent, bipartisan commission. And agreed to all GOP demands.
But McCarthy refused.
For him, it's never been about the process. It's always been about hiding the truth of January 6. And doing Trump’s bidding.
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
It didn't end well for Macbeth, either
Kevin McCarthy knows perjury under oath ends his political career. Bring on the January 6 Commission and force McCarthy to testify. His lies are catching up to him. McCarthy has blood on his hands and he knows it. #OfficerBrianSicknickRIP. https://t.co/EnP7PyjAQ5
— Bruno 🇺🇸 4 Congress CA23 Against Kevin McCarthy (@BrunoAmato_1) May 7, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
When racism trumps patriotism
There are Americans rooting against USA basketball because some of the players believe Black people should not be killed unnecessarily by law enforcement.
— Jason Nichols (@drjasonnichols) July 26, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Yeah, they were all yellow
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Monday, July 26, 2021
Indubitably
Instead of asking his followers to get vaccinated, the former guy is claiming that people are not getting vaccinated because they don’t trust the election results. Serious question: Is he the most loathsome human being ever to hold elected office in the US?
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) July 18, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Camel meet needle
What would Jesus think of Joel Osteen's $325,000 Ferrari?
— Jake Lobin (@JakeLobin) July 18, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Experience the divine
#CPAC attendees cheered that President Biden’s vaccine goals hadn’t been met. It takes a special kind of stupid to be mad at the guy who wants you not to die.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) July 13, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Friday Night Jukebox, CCCXLII--Faith Hill: Breathe
I discovered this week's tune when I heard it repeatedly over the store's loudspeakers while I was throwing hundreds of pounds of grocery freight every day. It was a good sixteen or seventeen years after it had been a hit, but when it comes to a good song, it's always better late than never...
Faith Hill was born in Ridgeland, Mississippi in 1967, and discovered at an early age that she had quite a talent for singing and began performing at local churches as a youngster. At nineteen she moved to Nashville in hopes of landing a recording contract and having a career in the music business, and though it took her a few years she did get that contract and went on to become one of the most successful country music singers ever. Hill has sold over 40 million records, won five Grammy Awards, a slew of lesser awards, and with country music legend (who just also happens to be her husband) Tim McGraw had the most successful country music tour ever in 2006, bringing in over $90 million. For her career she has released eight studio LP's (with four #1's and all of them reaching the top ten on the country album chart as well as three #1's on the Billboard 200), and four compilations. She's also released forty-six singles, with fifteen of them hitting #1 (eleven on both country and pop charts, plus four more topping just the country chart). While Hill continues to perform, she's only released one album since 2008 (an album of duets with her husband in 2017)--be that as it may, I'll take a wild guess and surmise that her legion of fans haven't heard the last of her.
Fun Fact: During her time in Nashville before being signed to a record deal, Hill spent some time working at McDonald's. Amazingly, it was not her dream job: "Fries, burgers, cash register--I did it all, I hated it...."
"Breathe" was released in the year in which we partied like it was, well, 1999, on her album entitled, surprisingly enough, Breathe. The single hit #1 on the country singles chart, but peaked at #2 (with a bullet!) on the pop charts; the album was #1 on both country and pop album charts. That's quite a bit of success....
Regular readers (both of you) know that emaycee loves his female vocalists, and I could tell you that for starters as to what it is about "Breathe" that I so love. Or I could tell you about Hill's wondrous vocals, or the swirling heartfelt chorus, or that sometimes a love song can be a powerful piece of music. All of that combined is enough to make for a great pop hit, but what really takes "Breathe" over the top is the moment in each chorus when Hill's voice goes up an octave (or two, or three) when she hits the word "supposed" in the line,"...isn't that the way love's supposed to be"--I've heard the song many, many times now and I still get goosebumps every time she hits that note. A truly great love ballad.
Lyric Sheet: "Caught up in the touch/The slow and steady rush/Baby, isn't that the way love's supposed [enter goosebumps here] to be..."
Enjoy:
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Badass Biden
holy shit this guy gets it and is done with the bullshit pic.twitter.com/8ypsnG1htV
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 23, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Pelosi for the win
Speaker Pelosi, asked about Kevin McCarthy saying she's playing politics:
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 22, 2021
"Perhaps you've mistaken me for someone who cares about that."https://t.co/bPJhgMkcjI
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday, July 24, 2021
The greatest terrorist threat to America
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Amen
America is sick and tired of this GQP shit — literally and figuratively!
— Ben Meiselas (@meiselasb) July 21, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, July 23, 2021
Elections matter
 |
| And keep feeding your family... |
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week vetoed republican efforts to end the $300 supplement the federal government has been adding to our unemployment benefits...just as news broke that the red states who have ended the extra benefits have done nothing other than to deprive their economies of the extra dollars that could have been spent by its citizens had they left well enough alone. And that's what they deserve for trying to score political points instead of looking out for the best interests of their states and their citizens.
And this is just another in a long line of reasons why elections matter--instead of being at the beck and call of corporations that won't pay their employees a living wage or the notoriously worker unfriendly Chamber of Commerce like republican leaders, Democrats are out there making sure that the people on whose backs this country is carried are getting enough to feed their families until they can find decent paying jobs in industries they've spent their lives preparing for.
There very well might be forty percent of this country who are happy to screw themselves financially to own the libs, but the other sixty percent are firmly in the Screw That Bullshit Camp.
And those are the voters we need to be reaching out to in the 2022 elections and beyond.
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
The Divine Miss M
Leaked Kremlin docs claim Putin helped elect #Trump in 2016 because he was an "impulsive, mentally unstable & unbalanced individual who suffers from an inferiority complex." But is it a complex if he actually IS inferior?
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) July 17, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Far too little, far too late
Apparently, Republicans are starting to realize that a Republican-driven reignition of the pandemic might be bad for Republicans
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 21, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Thursday, July 22, 2021
The Charlatans U.S.
You're telling me vaccine passports are a step too far for the people who want voter ID? 🤔
— Anita 🕺🏻 (@AnitaM86) July 17, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Yes again
— YS (@NYinLA2121) July 13, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
A fool and his health are soon parted
 |
| Who's fooling who? |
If it wasn't so tragic, wouldn't there be a delicious irony to the fact that the people who are always screaming about the Democratic Party leading America into communism being led to their coronavirus related deaths (the epidemic has largely become the republican pandemic) by misinformation from...communist controlled Russia?
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
The spy who came in from Russia
 |
| A useful idiot |
News this week via a Russian leak that Vladimir Putin authorized a spy ring to help elect Donald Trump because the Russians felt Trump was an "impulsive, mentally unstable, and unbalanced individual who suffers from an inferiority complex" (good call) which would lead to "social turmoil" in the U.S. (good call again) and a weakened U.S. Presidency (not on Joe Biden's watch) was met with some skepticism (apparently Putin doesn't "leak"--wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
I'm obviously not an expert on the political machinations of Vladimir Putin, but it makes perfect sense that he would leak the papers now. Putin got what he wanted from Trump--we're more polarized than ever, misinformation is rampant, and our democracy is suffering its greatest threat in our nation's history. Putin is also smart enough to realize that Trump is truly an imbecile and four more years of his nonsense would very likely not just crush America's economy but the world's as well and any harm he can do to Trump's future prospects would be most helpful to not only Russia's economy but Putin's net worth as well (some estimate he may be the richest man in the world).
After four years of the incompetence of Trump, you'd think folks would realize that Putin was playing chess against a man who'd have trouble mastering Old Maid.
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Works for me
 |
| So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, adieu... |
Donald Trump this week: "Any effort to dictate national Mail-in voting will be a disaster for our Country and for conservatism. There will never be a Republican elected to high office again."
As if this would be bad, considering a) Reagan's disastrous economic policies which led ultimately to the greatest income inequality in the history of this country and doubled the poverty rate, b) George W. Bush led us into two disastrous wars and brought us the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression, and c) Trump himself oversaw 600,000 American deaths because of his incompetence during the coronavirus which also led to the second massive economic crisis perpetrated by a republican President in twelve years.
As far as I'm concerned, if mail-in voting will guarantee no more republicans in high office, we should hand deliver ballots to every American door and come back later to each one of them and collect those ballots so we never have another republican in office ever.
We'd all be much better off for it.
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Teach your children well
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee...
The last line of defense?
🚨Milley called Trump efforts to overturn election "a Reichstag moment." Re #Jan6 “These guys are Nazis..they’re not going to fucking succeed..You can’t do this without the military. You can’t do this without the CIA and the FBI. We’re the guys with guns.” https://t.co/AsM3oeLjEi
— Joel Lawson (@JoelLawsonDC) July 14, 2021
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
The Nuremberg defense
"And that's when you get to the fundamental horror of the book: It's not that no one knows, it's that they all know. Most people in official power, they know."https://t.co/AlayIExEvE pic.twitter.com/r65Bja5AFF
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) April 22, 2020
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
I'm shocked, shocked I tell you...
My biggest takeaway from this takedown of Ken Starr and Brett Kavanaugh is that a huge amount of Trump's appeal is that lots of powerful men want to live in a world where they don't have to treat others -- and especially women -- with basic decency.https://t.co/uhKepwjyF5
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) July 14, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Monday, July 19, 2021
Coincidence? I think not
In 2018 - "I know God really exists and I have no doubts about it."
— Ryan Burge 📊 (@ryanburge) July 2, 2021
Silent: 70%
Boomers: 59%
Gen X: 62%
But, look at this huge gap between Gen X and Millennials.
Millennials: 44%
Gen Z: 33%
The decline for Gen Z is staggering, too.
49% in 2014
39% in 2016
33% in 2018. pic.twitter.com/ko5CQs45rp
If anybody were to ask, the point at which I became certain that the existence of God was impossible, it was the election of Donald Trump. I will never be able to reconcile a supposed omnipotent and caring God allowing such a hateful and debased man to win an election in a nation that the rest of world is so dependent on for its survival. History will show that the damage Donald Trump did through his pettiness and stupidity, not just to America but to the rest of the planet as well, is as incalculable as it is real.
So it was with very little surprise that I read the numbers of Millennials and Generation Z in the poll conducted above concerning Americans' certainty in the existence of God. Young people, who are much closer to the formative years of their learning, often have more skepticism and a still functioning bullshit detector. That the rapid drop in belief for Generation Z coincided with the election of Donald Trump is not an accident. The utter hypocrisy of so many organized religions in their acceptance of Donald Trumps egregious transgressions (homophobia, misogyny, lying, racism) in the face of Christ's teachings was more than enough to clue so many young people into the fact that the existence of God is nothing more than a farce.
It is my sincerest hope that these trend lines continue for the next generation and rid America once and for all of the cancer that adherents of the word of God have brought upon us.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Killing their own
FL has seen a 248% increase this past week in new COVID infections. Hey @GovRonDeSantis most of the Dems are vaccinated so you're literally shrinking your own base. Thanks for helping us turn FL Blue!#DeathSantis pic.twitter.com/OJ4K8mdqRC
— jason dogwood ™️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇺🇸👬🏼 (@jasondogwood) July 11, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Florida is for fascists
The fact that Ron DeSantis is selling “Don't Fauci My Florida” koozies on his campaign website while the state leads the nation in new COVID cases and deaths tells you everything you need to know about him. pic.twitter.com/pThrTUMWqI
— Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) July 12, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Sunday, July 18, 2021
What assholes we Liberals are!
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Republicans = Murder, Inc.
I saw someone mention this, and had to check it out. San Francisco County and South Dakota have roughly the same population; SF has had 559 total Covid deaths, SD 2039 1/ https://t.co/Nfnf4Y7gyz
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) July 12, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Lock him up!
📺 NEW VIDEO
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) July 12, 2021
Donald Trump is a domestic terrorist who must be arrested for inciting the January 6th insurrection. #ArrestTrumpNow pic.twitter.com/2Ms83nQocz
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
What's good for the goose...
Good point: pic.twitter.com/Vk8epEazmq
— David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) July 10, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, July 16, 2021
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCCXLI--Maura O'Connell: Feet of a Dancer
This week's tune was discovered on a folk compilation I came across during my troubadour phase in the mid to late nineties. If I'd had but world enough and time, I'm sure a lot more such songs would be featured here on Friday Night Jukebox....
Maura O'Connell was born in Ennis, Ireland in 1958, and started out working in her family's fish shop before beginning to make music. At the ripe old age of twenty-two she spent six weeks touring America as a backup vocalist for Irish band De Dannan, gained acclaim by performing on their next album, and then began her solo career. O'Connell's work has been heavily influenced by American Country and Bluegrass, and while she's never had a lot of commercial success (a little more so in her native Ireland), she's done well enough to make a living from her singing. For her career, O'Connell has released eleven studio albums, one compilation, and has appeared either as a guest vocalist or a backup singer on at least twenty-two other LPs (including emaycee faves Nanci Griffith, John Prine, and Rosanne Cash). In 2013, she announced her retirement from her solo career.
"Feet of a Dancer" was released in 1988 on her album Just in Time. The song was not released as a single and the album did not chart.
While not quite as sparse as old-timey Woody Guthrie nothing but a voice and a guitar folk, "Feet of a Dancer" features a lot of what makes folk, well, folk. There's some nice touches of steel guitar, a little acoustic guitar here and there, some well placed mandolin playing, and, in what may be an FNJ first (or not--the number of songs featured is getting quite high), wonderful bongo playing to keep the song moving rhythmically. But what carries the song--as happens quite often with a folk tune--is O'Connell's vocals, which are just north of heavenly. Her voice shines with all the hope the song proffers--essentially it's a parent telling a child that life is hard, hoping for the best for you, but regardless, we're always going to be here. If there's one trait folks is known for is songs that speak to our better angels...and this one has halos floating all around it.
Lyric Sheet: "I hope you find someone who cares/I hope you find all the right directions, everywhere/Everywhere...
Enjoy:
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Another republican traitor
 |
| Give 'em some milk and cookies, too, Tom |
Arkansas republican Senator Tom Cotton this week went on Fox News (surprise!) and said he had "real doubts" about the U.S. Navy's ability to defeat the Chinese navy in battle.
Now imagine that a Democrat had gone on any network anywhere and doubted the U.S. Navy's abilities to fight a war. Republicans would have crucified any such Democratic politician and the mainstream media would have gobbled it up. But a republican...to date, I could find nothing that had called Cotton to the carpet (nice job, Democrats) for an egregious statement.
I'm not a statesman, and while I might admit the reports Cotton has seen suggest it (though I have my doubts as the republican party playbook is to turn any boogeyman into the spawn of Satan), but even I know that it's a slap in the face to our servicemen and and a veritable morale killer when our politicians suggest that we can't win any military confrontation. Instead of grandstanding, perhaps saying "I fear China is making huge gains in their ability to battle our naval forces" would be a massive improvement over saying our troops are going to lose.
In the end, it's another shitty job by our national media in failing to point out how disrespectful of our military republicans have become, even if it is for a whiner trying to burnish his Presidential bona fides for an eventual campaign for an office that a man with all of the charisma of skunk spray will never hold.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Rat smells his own hole first
Same people who claim Sharia law is being imposed (it isn't) & that violates the Constitution https://t.co/klsQPRHPeB
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) July 12, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
The right chose mammon
Imagine thinking you could worship God and Donald Trump at the same time. https://t.co/pvR0G5D4Aj
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) July 12, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace
emaycee
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Down and dirty
 |
| A win is a win |
Michelle Obama has famously noted that when republicans go low, Democrats should go high...and it's past time to admit that in our current political climate that is a losing strategy. I have the utmost respect for the Obamas (and I thoroughly believe Barack Obama will eventually go down in American history as one of the five greatest Presidents ever), but it could be easily argued that President Obama went high in the Supreme Court battle with republicans over the open Supreme Court seat after Antonin Scalia's death...and made a mistake (perhaps colored by believing Hillary Clinton would win the Presidency) that ordinary Americans will still be suffering from a generation from now.
Tom Sullivan of Digby's Hullabaloo wrote this week (at the risk of losing his progressive credentials) that when it comes to the upcoming midterm elections that if Democrats think they're going to win in 2022 by focusing solely on what they've done for the economy (which will be great) and undoing Donald Trump's executive orders (also great), they are kidding themselves. He suggested that Democrats should hammer republicans for the insurrection and remind people of exactly what their party attempted to do on January 6th. I think they should remind voters again and again just what a horrid human being Donald Trump was (there have been a plethora of books recently that have plenty of ammunition) and that republicans have yet to stand up to him. Republicans should also be excoriated for voting en masse against the Coronavirus Relief Plan, which has helped working class Americans financially more than anything republicans have ever done in our lifetimes.
Sullivan is exactly right--sometimes, you need to punch a redneck.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
It certainly wasn't Blimpo
Who wore it better?#Harpo_vs_Blimpo pic.twitter.com/KvduwUfcfy
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 7, 2021
Crapping out
If Trump really wants to bring down Facebook he should buy it and run it for a couple of years
— Travis Allen 🇺🇸 (@TravisAllen02) July 10, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Never again
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday Night Loser
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Jolly good show
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
The Big Lie, 1861 version
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Monday, July 12, 2021
75 million Americans thought this idiot should remain President
Trump instructions to the military in dealing with protestors:
— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) June 24, 2021
"Crack their skulls!"
"beat the f--k out" of them
"Just shoot them"https://t.co/CvzmOFZLN1
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
On the shoulders of fascists
After Hitler's failed coup (1923 Beer Hall Putsch) Hitler celebrated the 16 Nazi party members killed in that coup attempt as martyrs. We are now seeing Trump and his traitors do the same with Ashli Babbitt. Trump is literally following Hitler's playbook: https://t.co/ON8enogEuD
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) July 6, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Heil Trump!
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Ordinance of racism
These are the 120 Republicans who voted against removing confederate statues from the Capitol pic.twitter.com/GW4Y64WBKO
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) July 1, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCCXL--Ace: How Long
This week's tune comes from the decade of decades for my musical tastes--the seventies. Another in a long line of great singles released by one hit wonders, it's also notable for being a song that was tailor made for Rod Stewart to cover...and he actually did.
Ace (originally Ace Flash and the Dynamos--now there's a band name) formed in Sheffield, England in 1972, and lasted just five short years, disbanding in 1977. During their short time together, they released three albums (from which they managed to spawn more compilation albums--four--than studio albums), and six singles. Lead singer Paul Carrack would go on to have a lot more success, singing "Tempted" for Squeeze, and having a string of hits with Mike + the Mechanics. Carrack has also had a number of his songs sung by artists such as Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles, and has made a good career the last few years as a session and touring musician.
Fun Fact: Upon hearing this week's song, most folks (myself included) assumed it was about adultery, but it wasn't. Carrack actually wrote the song about the band's bassist, Terry Comer, who was playing in other bands behind the rest of his bandmates' backs.
"How Long" was released in 1974 on Ace's debut album, Five-A-Side. It went on to reach #3 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #20 in their native U.K.), while the album would reach #11 on the Billboard 200.
One of the nice things about writing about a favorite song every week is how often when I'm listening to the song in preparation--no matter how many times I've heard it before--I notice some nuance that I never really noticed before. This week it's the bass line--which runs from the beginning of the song to the very end with no deviation--and how its foreboding sound underscores the song's lyrical theme of treachery. The easy part of "How Long" is obviously Carrack's vocals--understated and gritty, without becoming melodramatic, his singing brings the song to another level. It's got a nice seventies guitar solo mixed in, and with the ever present chorus repeated ad infinitum that happens so often on pop hits it becomes another one of those wonderful moments when a band comes together for three minutes and twenty-four seconds and touches greatness.
Lyric Sheet: "But I can't help but have my suspicions/'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem..."
Enjoy:
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
We learn from history...
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Doing the right thing
"This world is run by gangsters. Agent Orange, the guy in Brazil and Putin. They're gonna do whatever they wanna do. They have no morals, no scruples. That's the world we live in. We have to speak out against gangsters like that," says Spike Lee https://t.co/6WmiFCL1IR pic.twitter.com/0jVs29Oe5O
— Variety (@Variety) July 6, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Friday, July 9, 2021
A cult says what?
"Of the nearly 700 Republicans who have filed initial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run next year for either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives, at least a third have embraced Trump’s false claims about his defeat."https://t.co/kIV6vyZ8Nf
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) July 5, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
This
As a former GOP chair, I never thought I'd say this, but thank you to the Democrats for being good stewards of the Constitution when America needed them most.
— Jennifer Horn (@NHJennifer) July 5, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Thursday, July 8, 2021
Ouch!
Supreme Court Waits In Line For Hours Before Voting To Uphold Arizona Restrictions https://t.co/hueUvTKlQs pic.twitter.com/yaEa9aPjay
— The Onion (@TheOnion) July 1, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
What we have here, is failure...
 |
| That's what Chapter 11 is for |
MSNBC host (and successful financial industry businesswoman) Stephanie Ruhle took time out this week to call out those businesses who claim they can't afford to pay their employees more than minimum wage, saying that if a business can't afford to pay its workers a living wage its business model is a failure and either the model needs to change or the business needs to cease operations.
Ruhle is correct--for far too long the republican party has subsidized poorly run companies by refusing to raise the minimum wage to a level that is commensurate with the expenses of the times in which we live. If $7.25 an hour is all your company can afford to pay its workers, your leadership team is incompetent at creating sales and/or profits and should quickly find itself collecting unemployment benefits.
That's the way it works for the rest of us--if we can't do the job, we lose the job. And the same should hold for Fortune 500 companies as well as Bob's Bar and Grill just down the street--if they're too lazy or incompetent to make enough money to pay their employees well, they should do what other lazy and incompetent workers do: do without.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
There's a bad moon on the rise
 |
| Republicanmania 2024: Psychopath vs. Psychopath |
I am notoriously bad at political predictions (as Sarah Palin, 2012 republican Presidential nominee, and Hillary Clinton, landslide winner of the 2016 Presidential Election, will readily attest), but if Ron DeSantis continues to show good numbers head to head against Donald Trump for the republican Presidential nomination in 2024 (admittedly a big if) I could easily see republicans currently showing fealty to Trump who know Trump is an incompetent boob (McConnell, McCarthy, Cornyn, et al) throwing their support to DeSantis in hopes of finishing off Trump once and for all. While both men are clearly psychopathic, DeSantis isn't nearly the idiot Trump is, and once Trump's followers see DeSantis is just as big of a racist asshole as Trump is, they'll be happy.
Throw in the fact that as time marches on and Trump's cult begins to realize that Trump isn't going to lead the Gestapo back into the White House and Joe Biden is going to be President until at least January 20, 2025, and their bitter disappointment at his failure to retake the Presidency might just be enough to end Trump's political career. It's also really hard to believe that big money boys like the Koch family wouldn't much prefer DeSantis to a boor such as Trump.
Time will tell, of course--I'd still bet on Trump (if his health holds out), but stupid people don't tend to play the long game and if DeSantis shows more strength and Trump shows more weakness (at least in the eyes of the republican base), all bets will be off.
Either candidate, though, will still be an utter fucking disaster for America.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Historical context
I'm somewhat of a history buff, and I'm pretty sure that the Nazis didn't have to first agree, in order for there to be investigations and trials after WWII.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) June 30, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Never underestimate just how stupid Donald Trump is
 |
| A lot cuter and smarter than Donald Trump |
Donald Trump is reportedly thrilled with the indictments brought down by the Manhattan District Attorney because he thinks he's getting off lightly. I know there is a lot of understandable pessimism on the left as Trump has wiggled out of legal trouble numerous times before, but he's also never been a failed political leader trying to foment an insurrection before. In other words, it's one thing to be an idiot skirting legalities when you're just a run of the mill incompetent businessman, but it's much harder to be an idiot skirting legalities when the prosecutors know you're a traitor. And Trump is an idiot:
- He apparently didn't listen very closely to the Manhattan D.A.'s office presentation regarding his indictment--they made it perfectly clear that these charges were just the beginning of the charges that will be brought. Apparently peabrain Trump can't understand that more charges mean more trouble.
- The charges being brought are not minor--they involve fraud and federal tax evasion. Anybody surprised that lamebrain Trump doesn't comprehend the basic legal codes that govern his businesses?
- At his Loserpalooza rally this past week, nitwit Trump confessed to his tax crimes. His kids did a media tour in which they did the same. Great legal minds want to know...what the fuck?
- In 2016 when he was campaigning for the White House, Trump claimed he knew more about tax law than "...any human being that God ever created." At his rally this weekend, he asked his cult concerning tax law, "Does anybody actually know the answer to that stuff?" Gee, I wonder if the prosecutors will bring these up during the trial...
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
The mirror has one face
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
We hold these truths to be self-evident
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Calling a traitor a traitor
I just want to say that the woman who was shot at the Capitol on Jan 6 was a rioting terrorist trying to break down a door. It’s on tape! Republicans’ attempts to turn her into a martyr are lies and disgusting and I won’t have it.
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) July 5, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Damned Lies
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| Every word Trump says is a lie, including "and" and "the" |
At his Loserpalooza rally in Sarasota this past weekend, birdbrain Donald Trump called Joe Biden "...perhaps the most unpatriotic President in history."
This from the imbecile who tried to get the Ukraine to interfere in our Presidential election (for which he was impeached), called our troops who died in battle "losers," lacked the balls to stand up to Vladimir Putin when it was revealed Russia was paying its soldiers bounties for killing American soldiers, and led an insurrection to overturn an election he lost by seven million votes (for which he became the only President ever impeached twice).
Pretty sure Biden will have the last laugh, though. A recent C-Span survey of historians generously put Trump at #41 (out of 44) in its rankings of Presidential leadership--a full thirty-one spots behind Biden's boss, Barack Obama. Biden's effectiveness in curbing the pandemic and returning our economy to normal are probably going to be enough to keep our current President in the top twenty.
Fake patriotism isn't going to stop history's steamrollers from crushing Trump's abysmal legacy.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
#MeToo
The empty seat is Justice. pic.twitter.com/cEgeXRz75j
— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) June 30, 2021
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee...
Monday, July 5, 2021
One of these is not like the other
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| Guess which one isn't from a political dynasty... |
Leaving aside the brutally obvious facts that a) Kennedy was a lifelong liberal Democrat who was a member of arguably the most famous Democratic family ever (which has never to my knowledge either joined or endorsed the republican party or any conservative iteration thereof), and b) that Kennedy's lifeless body (and that of his wife and his sister-in-law) were found in the waters where his plane crashed five days after said crash, if you'll look closely at the photos above you'll see a very handsome and very rich man on the left, and on the right, you'll see a man who when he fell out of the ugly tree hit every fucking branch as he plummeted to the ground. Further, there is no conceivably possible way, even in twenty-two years of aging, that a millionaire who was born of a mother who epitomized class would let himself go to shit as much as the cretin on the right has.
How the fuck people as completely and utterly stupid as QAnon followers manage to so much as even drag their dumb asses out of bed in the morning is beyond me.
You Have a Choice: Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America
Peace,
emaycee
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